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Allegheny County Council one step closer to creating citizen's police review board

The Allegheny County Council approved the first steps toward creating a countywide citizen's police review board.

The council voted Tuesday night to start a series of public meetings to help members write an ordinance to create the board, according to our partners at the Trib.

The motion passed in an 8-to-6 vote.

Council member DeWitt Walton was passionate about his decision in wanting a county-wide board, saying the time is now but was opposed to any amendments to the ordinance.

Not all council members felt the same. Channel 11 spoke to Sam DeMarco who voted against the motion.

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"We don't have any authority over any of the 130 municipalities in Allegheny County. We have no legislation authority so no authority over their governments," said DeMarco.

The whole discussion was prompted by the shooting and killing of Antwon Rose by East Pittsburgh Police officer Michael Rosfeld.

"What happened was a tragedy, but I don't know the details. That's why we wanted an investigation to play out," DeMarco said.

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Some would say what is happening here is eerily similar to what occurred decades ago.

The Pittsburgh Citizen Police Review Board was created after the high-profile police killing of Jonny Gammage in the 1990s.

"It's a battle, it's not the war. We won this battle today, but we're coming for the war and coming to win," Erica Yesko, who is for the county citizen's review board, said.

A decision is expected on whether if the county will officially form that board later this year.

 

Cox Media Group

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